So, it's been a while since I've written an agents of shield-fic, but after that last episode I couldn't not write one! I'm liking this season so far (especially the part this episode where Coulson did his 'agent Coulson with S.H.I.E.L.D.'-thing again). I really hope next episode will have some sweet moments between Coulson and Daisy!
Enjoy this one-shot!
Coulson was alone in his new, significantly smaller office. She knocked on the door before entering. He looked up and gave her a small nod as permission to enter.
"Hey" she said softly, not knowing what else to say yet.
"Hey" he answered very shortly, without interrupting what he was doing.
She walked around, looking at his various S.H.I.E.L.D. memorabilia. Recognizing the exploding watch, the scale model of Lola and various other items. She traced them with her least injured hand, which was not in a sling.
"So I hear it's agent Coulson again now. Maybe I should start calling you AC again?"
"Yeah, you could." He said, still not looking up.
A silence fell between them.
"I like this new office though." She tried to keep the conversation going.
"Yeah, it's fine I guess" he answered.
Coulson kept avoiding eye contact. The distance between them leaving an ache deep inside her chest and abdomen. After months of missing him he was right in front of her, yet further away than ever. She wanted to hug him, feel safe and loved in his arms – the only real father figure, besides Cal, she ever had. And now that they were finally in the same room again, he was almost icy to her. She'd hurt him, she knew that alright. And she was ashamed of it. On top of that, he had been searching for her all this time and she'd worked so hard to run away from him. Him holding back was the result of her own actions, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
"Please say something…" she said.
He pressed his lips together and looked away.
"Anything, just say some-"
"Do you know how worried I was?" he suddenly interrupted her.
She swallowed, but kept quiet and let him talk. She would take what she had coming to her.
"Day and night I looked for you! I didn't know if you were hurt, if you had somewhere to sleep… All I knew was from the reports about "Quake" and some other S.H.I.E.L.D. intel. And then I hear from Mack that you spoke to him, and that you've been communicating with Yoyo..."
Tears started welling up in her eyes and she had to swallow to stop them from rolling down her cheeks.
"What happened to you in this past year is something no one should ever have to go through. But you get through hard times with your friends by your side to support you and be there for you! Not by pushing them away!"
"Don't you get it, I had no choice! I pushed you away for your own good!"
Coulson shook his head in frustration and rejection of her statement.
"You guys, SH.I.E.L.D., were my only real family. People get hurt and die around me – people I love. My mother, Lincoln, my father, Ward… I couldn't let anything happen to Fitz or Simmons, or May, Mack… You're my family, and if anything happened to them- especially you… I couldn't go through it again. I would probably have killed myself…"
Coulson was on the verge of tear now too.
"And I want to say that I'm sorry – I'm so sorry, Coulson" She was crying now. "I'm so sorry for hurting you by running away, and I know that I've disappointed you-"
But before she could go on, Coulson had walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. She fought his embrace for a second but then gave in. Fatigue getting the better of her. She just cried on his shoulder as he tried to hold her as tight as possible without hurting her broken arms and healing back.
"You don't have to be sorry" he whispered as he stroked her hair with one hand. "And I could never be disappointed in you. I'm just so glad I finally found you."
Hope you enjoyed this fic! Please, please, leave reviews!